Post Wrexham-Notts Era: What’s in Store for the National League?
Wrexham courted a lot of eyeballs in the last two seasons due to their takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Add to that the National League also had Notts County whose fan base added so much to the league and its popularity. Both the clubs got promoted to EFL last season, so all the glitz and glamour, or the majority of it has gone with them.
Where is the next Wrexham coming from for the National League? Where are the eyeballs coming from next? Will Chesterfield fill the void, they sure look like it.
The Wrexham and Notts County Battle
The National League gained a lot of fan following because of Wrexham and Notts County’s title rivalry. In a record, both Wrexham and Notts County accumulated 100+ points in the league and gave us one of the best title races ever.
On top of the exciting title race, Wrexham’s popularity helped a lot. Wrexham helped the National League gain a lot of casual fans and interest. Notts County and Wrexham did almost all of the heavy lifting for the National Conference League.
The social media engagement was off the charts last year. The title race brought the best out of everyone involved, it also showed how competitive every single league is in England. The games between the two were high-octane as well. Especially at the Racecourse Ground where an exciting game finished 3-2 in favour of the home side.
The battle between the two sides wasn’t just on-field, it had spilled to social media as well. It continues to date, a rivalry that came out of nowhere but no one is complaining.
Is Chesterfield Next?
Chesterfield is on fire currently. The Spireites are top of the table and flying in the National League right now. With no Notts County or Wrexham to hinder, Chesterfield has a clear sight at the National League title this season.
Last year, Chesterfield was unlucky as they finished third with 84 points after an impressive campaign and made it to the playoff finals against Notts County. Notts County were on another level last season as they accumulated 107 points and that was a record for a 2nd place team. Chesterfield were beaten in the final on penalties despite taking the lead twice.
This season Chesterfield is not letting anyone feel the absence of Wrexham and Notts County. They may not have the superstar owners like Wrexham or a fanbase as vociferous as Notts Count but their games are every bit as fun to watch as Wrexham and Notts County’s were last year.
Every game of the Spireites is a humdinger. Chesterfield’s attack is the best in the league and their defense is one of the worst in the league so their matches always have an exciting finish. There are a lot of 2-1, 2-1, 4-3 games already this season for them. It makes for an exciting viewing.
Will Grigg’s on fire, your defense is terrified! Will Grigg has had a good start for Chesterfield this season. He already has 5 goals early in the campaign but his overall game has had a good impact on the Spireites this season. His experience might just help take his team through to the finishing line this season.
What’s Next for the National League?
Wrexham and Notts County did their part in garnering record interest in the National League. Chesterfield is doing a decent job of keeping the League interesting with their crazy games every week. But how do the National League keep the eyes on their product for a long time?
The National League will hope that teams like Notts County and Wrexham keep coming down or up to their league now and then. Both the above-mentioned clubs do not look like they are coming back down anytime soon, so the National League will hope more clubs like them make their way to their league.
A club with a strong fanbase is a basic requirement for the National League to gain some sort of interest. When Notts County went down to the National League there was a lot of interest in how they were coping in the non-league football league. With Wrexham, it was all about their social media game and how they were the most famous team in the National Conference League ever.
There are still clubs like Rochdale and Oldham in the National Conference League that have a loyal following. Big clubs in a minor league. The National League is so highly competitive that these two famous clubs have been unable to get themselves promoted for quite a few years.
Going forward, the National League will bank on the fact that they always have close title fights. That said, they do need teams that either have extraordinary fanbase or extraordinary media presence. The interest in the National League is at its peak, they will hope that Chesterfield’s run this season will create its viral sensation.
